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tv   [untitled]    April 23, 2013 12:00am-12:30am PDT

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district. it offers a view of the downtown skyline, the bay bridge, and the east bay. it is one of the best kept secrets in the city. it is hardly ever crowded. on any given day, you will run into a few locals. , bought a 37 bus to get there without any parking worries. for legged friends can run freely. there is also a patch of grass for the small box. >> it is a great place. it is a wonderful place to have these kinds of parks. that dog owners appreciate it. >> take time to notice of the wildfires that are on the grassland and keep your head out on the lookout for hawks and other bird life. be sure to take your camera and be prepared to take a view of the city will not forget. it has a beautiful red rock formations.
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you could watch the sunrise over the bay. this is another one of our great lookouts. we are at mount davidson. 928 feet. this is the place for you to bring someone special. to not forget that dogs and enjoy all of the pathways and greenery that surrounds you. it provides a peaceful oasis of open space and great hiking trails. the spectacular view offers a perfect place to watch the sunrise or sunset with someone you love. >> it is a good place to get away from the hectic life of the city. come up here and listen to nature, i get some fresh air. that view is fantastic. >> where sturdy shoes.
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hikers get the feeling of being in a rain forest. mount davidson is also a great place to escape the noise and the bustle of the city. take the 36 bus and it will drop you at the entrance. it is quite a hike to the top but the view is worth every step. this is the place to bring that someone special. golden gate park's largest body of water is an enchanting place. is a popular spot for paddling around in boats, which can be rented. created in 1893, it was designed for these your boating -- for
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leisure boating. it is named for the wild strawberries that once flourished. there is also a waterfall, two bridges, and trails the climb to the summit, the highest point at more than four hundred feet. you can catch glimpses of the western side of the city that make this hilltop a romantic look out. for public transit, i take the n train. the lad the ad -- lake is ada accessible. watch many ducks, swans, and siegel's. -- seagulls. it is a great place to stroll
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and sail away. many couples come here to take a ride around a lake, going under the bridges, passing the chinese pavilion and the waterfall. for a quiet getaway, making for a memorable and magical experience. located on 19th avenue, this growth is the place to where you're hiking boots, bring the family and the dog because it has so much to offer you and your loved ones. it is a truly hidden gem in the city. the park is rich with eucalyptus trees. long paths allow you to meander, perfect for a dog walking in a wooded environment. >> i enjoy the history.
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the diversity of nature that exists in such an urban city, concrete streets, cars, we have this oasis of the natural environment. it reminds us of what the history was. >> there is a section for dogs and plenty of parking. transit is available on the 28 bus to get you very easily. the part is ada -- park is ada accessible. it is also a natural lake. this is your chance to stroll around the lake and let the kids run free. it also has many birds to watch. it is a place to find and appreciate what you -- a wonderful breath of fresh air.
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come and experience in this park and enjoy the people, picnics, and sunshine. this is a lovely place to take a stroll with your loved ones. in the middle of pacific heights, on top of these hills, it offers a great square, a peaceful beauty, large trees and grass and greenery. it features tables and benches, a playground, restaurants, and tennis courts. there are plenty of areas for football and picnics. it is very much a couple's park. there are many activities you can experience together. stroll on the pathways, bring your dog, or just picnic at one of the many tables and enjoy all that it has to offer together. many couples find this is a perfect park to throw down a
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blanket and soak up the sun. it is a majestic place that you can share with someone you chairs. lafayette park is also easily accessed from the 47, 49, and 90 buses. it is ada accessible. we are here at the historic palace of fine art in the marina district. originally built for the 1950's exposition, the palace is situated on san francisco's number waterfront. it is ada accessible and is reached by the 28, 30, and 91 bus lines. set against the reflecting waters of the lagoon and
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eucalyptus trees, the palace is one of san francisco post most -- san francisco's most romantic spots to relax with that special someone while listening to the water and gazing at the swans. a beautiful to view from many locations along the mattoon, an ideal place to -- all -- lagoon, an ideal place to walk with a loved one. reservations for weddings are available at sfrecpark.org. discarding contains plants referred to by william shakespeare's plays and poems. welcome to the shakespeare garden here in the famous golden gate park. located near the museum and the
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california academy of sciences, the garden was designed by the california spring blossom and wildfilower association. here is a truly enchanting and tranquil garden along a path behind a charming gate. this garden is the spot to woo your date. stroll around and appreciate its unique setting. the gorgeous brick walkway and a brick wall, the stone benches, the rustic sundial. chaired the part -- share the bard's word hundred famous verses from a shakespearean plays. this is a gem to share with someone special. pack a picnic, find a bench, and
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enjoy the sunshine, and let the whimsical words of william shakespeare and floats you and your loved one away. this is one of the most popular wedding locations and is available for reservations. take a bus and have no parking worries. shakespeares' garden is ada accessible. located at the bottom of this hill, it is a secret garden with an infinite in captivating appeal. carefully tucked away, it makes the top of our list for most intimate pyknic setting. avoid all taurus cars and hassles by taking a cable car. or the 30, 45, or 91 bus.
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the garden was designed by thomas church in 1957. grow old with me, the best is yet to be is inscribed on a sundial. it is anchored by twin white gazebos and flowers that bloom year-round. this is the place to tell someone special or the place to declare the commitment you two share. weddings and the event reservations are available for this adorable hidden gem. we know there are many other romantic parks in san francisco. we hope you have enjoyed this torre of lookouts, picnics, and strolls that are available every day. until next time, do not forget to get out and play. for more information about
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reserving one of these romantic locations or any other location, call 831-5500. this number is best for special events, weddings, picnics, and the county fair buildings. or for any athletic field, call 831-5510. you can write us at -- or walk in and say hello. and of course you can find more information moresfrecpark.org. -- welcome, everyone to the
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10th annual public defenders summit. i'm so excited to be here today. our office has been putting on this summit for the past 10 years. we draw together attorneys, community leaders, non-profit leaders and directors and people committed to improving the criminal justice system. we come together once a year to talk about the issues and problems that we want to solve. this year is a particularly special summit because yesterday marked the 50th an niversary of the supreme court decision. one of
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the most significant dimensions our country. on march 16, 1963, the court said you have a right to a lawyer. even though it had been part of the constitution as the #6th amendment for years and years it was not recognized it was a right until they said it was an obligation by the state to provide a lawyer. it never would have happened unless gideon, a drifter who had been involved convicted for robbing a pool hall. at that time unless you were charged with a capital offense, you
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would not be given a lawyer. you had to represent yourself. the gideon decision changed that for felony cases and that brought other cases. but this is still a basic right that we are fighting for each and every day there was a new york times article yesterday, it's called the right to council. badly battered add at 50. in miami they handle more than 550,000 cases a year. all of city and county systems that pretty much rely on local funding to provide public defenders. in
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kentucky, 68 percent of poor people accused of misdemeanor short up for a court appearance without a lawyer. in 28 counties in florida 77 percent people pled guilty. many after arrest can spend months in jail. this is becoming more and more evident as prosecutors raise the stakes. we have seen more crimes increase in terms of severity. as a result of this more cases are settling through plea bargains but not necessarily because they are guilty but they have no choice. they are often handled by poorly paid inexperienced
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lawyers. very rarely are new trials granted. even here in san francisco we have struggled to fill three investigators positions for the last six months and we have hundreds of cases that need the attention of an investigator. so today we are going to study the aftermath of gideon and discuss what has to happen in order to fix it. i want to thank everyone who has made today so possible, all of you for being here. i want to thank or sponsors, kicker and van ness and jim and douglas and maratel and investigations. i would like to thank all the volunteers who made this possible. kathy, angela and everyone else who helped out
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today. i want to express my gratitude to the san francisco library for the last ten years and there is san francisco government tv and this is going to be broadcast throughout the year. so thank you. i would like to thank julie tron from the bar association. the bar association has been our partners in terms of providing defense for poor people. in cases where the public defender is not able to provide representation, those cases are handled by the private bar and they are doing an incredible job. so thank you very much for that. i want to thank jose as a who is a public defender and here to celebrate with us. we are going to start today by showing a brief video
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explaining the gideon decisions >> take this empty lot. today you would never know it but history was made here. mostly all is gone and so are the people. the principle they left is still standing. it was almost as bad at life. >> it was a constitutional hero, but the cases that come to the court don't come from the winners in society. they come from the losers. clarence gideon was involved in the justice system since he was a kid. he had been getting in
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trouble. >> trouble seemed to find gideon. literally small change had gone miss ing from this cigarette machine, maybe $5 total. that's the pool hall there on the bottom. some wine, some beer and a few bottles of coca-cola were gone. the witnesses saw gideon that night with pockets full of change. gideon found himself facing serious time in prison. >> i have no council >> why do you not have council? >> i would like someone to represent me. >> i would have to deny you request to a point you council in this case.
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>> gideon,000 this was unfair. >> by asking the court to appoint a lawyer, gideon thought he had the right to counsel. >> this right is a basic right to in in in the constitution because the threat that is presented by imprisonment and even execution is a threat that the government should allow to have. >> gideon had to represent himself because the state of florida denied a lawyer. the entire trial lasted a day before he was found guilty and sentenced to the maximum to 5 years. >> the last days end here walking into prison and doing his time. but this time he went to prison convinced he didn't
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belong there and the state of florida didn't give him a fair trial. he did what most people would do with insanitiary and fairy tales. he wrote to the supreme court of the united states. >> the supreme court they have cases brought to the court by people who are too poor who are able to pay for their fees. gideon's was a hand written document online prison stationery. you couldn't imagine a simpler more elementary way to get to the highest court in the land. >> why would the supreme court decide to hear the case of a poor man already in prison. because the constitution allows even a poor man to be heard. lightning strikes from the
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ground up. it may have been sparked by gideon but they were on the court's justice ready to catch it. >> he was the most influential person in the courtroom system of all time. people should not be disadvantaged in getting justice because they are poor. the judge was viable for the constitution. it had the best constitution in the world and if we were tolerant it would be all right. on the morning of march 18th, the decision was announced from the supreme court. they said justice black said i have an announcement the decision and opinion of the court gideon against -- vindication for 20 years of dissent from -- against brady. they said we were wrong when we designed it and now we are making it right. >> it was complete. not only
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did this belief in the 14th amendment, the court decide d in gideon's favor. this system which he fought for so long in the justice. the decision was law of the land. equal justice under law. >> when a supreme court decided the gideon case, they really brought light to that phrase. it doesn't matter if you are rich, it doesn't matter if you are poor, you get the same equal chance. >> just look at what happened to gideon. the supreme court didn't set gideon free but it gave him a fair trial with a competent attorney. >> not guilty. >> clarence earl gideon was a
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free man. the man who won a landmark supreme court case went to live a normal living with a job pumping gas. >> when i read where it says equal justice under law, i'm very inspired by that. i'm very comforted by that. but i know a lot of people are treated unfairly. i see it as something encouraging but i don't see it yet. >> it's written into constitution and established into the goal for society to reach for and live up to. people will fall short, rights can be ignored or even trampled.
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with nothing more than a pencil and knowledge. >> if you know your rights you can protect your rights. if you don't know your rights you can't. they will always be there. you can fight for them. that was gideon's story. he knew he had a right that was taken way from him and he fought to get it back. >> if you are wondering how it is they had a televised proceeding of the gideon trial they reenacted it on television and they had gideon and the judges play themselves. now i would like to you meet chris
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kearney, he's of the bar association of san francisco and a litigation partner which represents lawyers and accountants. he also represented a friend of mine. i will always be grateful for your work. our justice summit has been made possible by the bar association in san francisco. please join me in welcoming chris to the stage. >> thank you, jeff and great to see so many people here today. as jeff said i'm a partner at van ness and happy to the the president of the bar association this year. it's great to be here on this particular day with a great group of panelist talking about a very important subject. we are also proud